Thanet council censorship row update!

This matter, over standards and ethics within local government, continues to rankle with anyone who values free speech.

For those of you who are unaware, the Standards Board of England, deals with the ethical standards in local government of elected councillors. Now one aspect that I was unaware, was that the standards Board of England confines its chilling influence only on democratically elected members of council, and frankly I am shocked, that were a local officer to apply undue influence, take bribes or just be generally corrupt, then this arbiter of local government ethics and standards would actually have no role to play whatsoever.

I will contact the council, and inquire as to whether they have a mechanism, for handling unethical behaviour of council officers (these are the people whose wages we pay) and will let you know in due course.

The reason I ask whether there is a similar apparatus for council officials, is that it would seem grossly unfair were it just council members (those people we are stupid enough to elect) who were subject to such draconian intervention in what, when and how they can speak!

As with many long-term residents of Thanet, my expectations are low, but to be honest even if there has been no wrongdoing, it is utterly outrageous that this issue has not been taken up by the news media in general, so far as I'm aware it is only the Isle of Thanet Gazette who have had the balls to report the story.

There is absolutely no doubt, in my mind, that David Green felt impeded in publishing his own thoughts and opinion, and this sentiment I believe, was also shared on the other side of the political spectrum, we live in a society, right or wrong, where apologists for Islamic terrorists and other extreme ideologies, daily spout their hatred for our society, and we let them because we live in a democracy, and that being the case David Green, and other councillors ought to have the freedom to discuss Margate library, Turner offshore debacle, or even the dog that has just taken a leak on a council owned lamp-post.

Finally I can just feel, senior officers of councils the length and breadth of this land cringe, that me Tony Flaig E-wit(mispelt) a nobody, might just have the temerity to criticise, well tough titties, the national newspapers and broadcast media, don't understand the implications of this Standards Board nonsense, I do, and think that most Thanet bloggers and councillors are also now aware.

My advice to any councillor, who receives unsolicited advice from a council officer, as to what they may or may not say, where or when they can say it would be to tell them to !**! off, as Tony Flaig believes such action brings local government into disrepute and is deeply saddened!

PS I understand that David Green and presumably other parties would wish to draw a line under this episode and get on with things. I suggest you watch this space David Green's Web blog Eastcliff Matters